Poinsettia plant named ‘Stargazer White’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Stargazer White’, characterized by its uniform, strong, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early flowering response; large inflorescences with creamy white-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘STARGAZER WHITE’.

Referenced to related applications: Title: Poinsettia Plant Named‘Stargazer Marble’. Applicant: Niels Arts. Plant patent application Ser.No. 12/214,231.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Stargazer White’.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofEuphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Stargazer’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 17,022. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant within a population of plants of‘Stargazer’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, TheNetherlands in May, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal vegetativecuttings propagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer,The Netherlands since July, 2004, has shown that the unique features ofthis new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Stargazer White’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Stargazer White’ as a newand distinct cultivar of Poinsettia:

-   -   1. Uniform, strong, upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Early flowering response.    -   5. Large inflorescences with creamy white-colored flower bracts.    -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands,plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of ‘Stargazer’primarily in flower bract color as plants of ‘Stargazer’ have darkred-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘Stargazer Marble’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 12/214,231. Plants of the new Poinsettia and‘Stargazer Marble’ differ primarily in flower bract color as plants of‘Stargazer Marble’ have creamy white and pink bi-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘Fiscor’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,364. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, plantsof the new Poinsettia differed from plants of ‘Fiscor’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were stronger than plants of        ‘Fiscor’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘Fiscor’ differed in flower        bract color as plants of ‘Fiscor’ have red-colored flower        bracts.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had longer postproduction        longevity than plants of ‘Fiscor’.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more cold tolerant than        plants of ‘Fiscor’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia. The photograph shows the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Poinsettia. The photograph comprises a top perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Stargazer White’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following observationsand measurements were grown in 13-cm containers in De Kwakel, TheNetherlands during the autumn and winter in a glass-covered greenhouseand under conditions and cultural practices which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial Poinsettia production. During the first tenweeks of production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged20° C. and during the finishing production phase, day and nighttemperatures averaged 17° C. Light levels throughout the entireproduction period were about 200 Watts per square meter. Plants werepinched one time and were forced into flower under short day/long nightphotoperiodic conditions. Plants were 18 weeks from planting when thephotograph and the detailed description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Stargazer    White’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia    pulcherrima Willd. ‘Stargazer’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.    17,022.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            22° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium to thick; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, strong, upright and mounded            plant habit; inverted triangle. Inflorescences positioned            above the foliar plane. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about five lateral branches develop after pinching.            Length: About 12 cm to 16 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to 6 mm.            Internode length: About 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 141D.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 11 cm. Width: About 8 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Cuneate to obtuse. Margin: Entire or lobed. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to            144A. Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 144B.            Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A;            venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 144B. Petiole:            Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound            corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the            cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are            not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Inflorescences positioned            above the foliage.        -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter; inflorescence            initiation and development is induced under long nyctoperiod            conditions. Early flowering response, plants begin flowering            about seven weeks after the start of short daylong day            photoperiodic treatments.        -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production            longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good            substance and bract color for about six weeks under interior            conditions and for about eight weeks in the greenhouse.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 21 cm. Height (depth):            About 5 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 12. Length,            largest bracts: About 10 cm. Width, largest bracts: About            6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing or transitional            bracts, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 1D. Fully            developed bracts, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 1D.            Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 1D. Bract            petiole: Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About five. Diameter of            cyathia cluster: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Length: About 1 cm.            Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Oval. Color, immature: Close to            154A. Color, mature: Close to 3A. Nectaries: Quantity per            cyathium: Usually one. Size: About 5 mm. Color: Close to            24B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 143A tinted with close to 185B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About            eight. Anther shape: Rounded. Anther length: About 0.5 mm.            Anther color: Close to 14A. Amount of pollen: Abundant.            Pollen color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity per cyathium:            About three. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Style length: About            2 mm. Style color: Close to 1D. Stigma shape: “V”-shaped.            Stigma color: Close to 1D. Ovary color: Close to 143A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettias.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 17° C. to about    35° C.

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Stargazer White’ asillustrated and described.